The present invention relates to a device for identifying the position of the securement screws of an intramedullary nail, particularly the distal screws.
Devices of the indicated type are already known from patents FR 2705558, U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,654, WO 92/01422, relating to intramedullary nails which are inserted in the medullary canal of a long bone and are fixed at their opposite ends by means of through screws.
While fixing the screws to the insertion end of the nail does not entail particular problems, fixing the screws at the opposite end is often critical, owing to the fact that the nail, during insertion, is subjected to torsions and deformations that produce a misalignment of the position of the screw passage holes that cannot be ascertained from outside.
The aim of the present invention is therefore to provide a device that allows to identify the position of the screw passage holes after the intramedullary nail has been inserted in the bone.
Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a device that allows quick identification of the position of the screws, so as to reduce surgery times and exposure of the surgeon and patient to the radiation of exploratory X-rays.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a structure that is simple, relatively easy to provide in practice, safe in use, effective in operation, and relatively low in cost.
This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by the present device for identifying the position of the distal holes for the passage of securement screws provided in an intramedullary nail inserted in the medullary canal of a long bone characterized in that it comprises an arm provided with means for rotational and axial fixing to the end of said nail that protrudes from said medullary canal, said arm comprising a portion that protrudes outside said bone and is provided with means for the coupling, at a selective distance, of a hollow stem which encloses a plurality of channels that allow the sliding therein of guiding wires for a cannulated tool for drilling said bone and for at least one of said securement screws to be inserted after removing said cannulated tool through said bone and said distal holes of said intramedullary nail.